Tail-docking device



F. C. METZLER. TAIL DOCKING DEVICE- APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1920.

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WITNESS:

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LFR DERIGK C. Mnrz-: LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shoshone, in the county of Fremont and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Tail-Dock ing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates'to adevice for docking the tails of lambs and other small animals.

In the process of docking the tails of lambs and other animals'to facilitate breed- 7 ing and shearing and to promote their sanitary condition, as it is practiced at present,

the wound produced by cutting the appendage with an ordinary knife is left to bleed until it is closed by natural causes. The consequent loss of blood invariably has a weakeningeffect upon the animal,often resulting in its death, andthe blood Spurting from the wound when the tail is being docked is.

. a source of great discomfort and annoyance to the operator .who'in-a very short time is covered with blood from head to foot.

It is the principal object of the present invention to avoid this loss of blood by providing a mechanism of very simple construction which in one operation severs the tail of the animal and sears the wound produced. thereby.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a device of the above described character which is portable and which may be folded in compact shape for convenience in carrying it from one place to another.

\Vith the above objects in View my invention consists in mounting a knife with relation to a chopping block and a stove'adapted to heat it to a cauterizing state, so that it will engage the block in one position and can be placed in the stove in another position. Y

In the operation of the invention an operator swinging the knife back and forth between the stove and the chopping block readily docks the tails of animals placed upon the block by helpers, the wound at the end of the stumps thereof being synchronously cauterized by contact of the metal knife blade which is constantly kept in a searing condition.

An embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings the line 3-3, Figure 2. I

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented. Aug; 15, 1922. i Application filed April 8; i Y i 1920. Serial Nd. 372,125.

in the various views-of which like parts are proved tail docking device Figure 2, ase'ctional side elevation of the same, and y v i i Flgure 8, a transverse section Referring to the drawings the numeral 5 designatesa base made of wood or other light material upon which the elements of taken along the device are mounted in cooperative relation.-

The base is preferably composed of two sections hinged together as at 3 so that'they may befolded upon each other when the device is. not in use and thereby reduce the size thereoffor convenience in. packing and 111 carrying it from one place. of operation to another.

The block upon which in the operation'ofthe device the tails of 1 the animals are docked, consistsof a piece of wood t which is removably fitted in a dove tailed groove v 5 at one end of the base and which maybe readily replaced in case of'wear or breakage. The stove which is mounted at the op posite end of the base, comprises in its Lpreferred forma heating chamberfoprovided with a hood or box 7 having a vertical slot 8l to admit the swinging knife, a pair of vapor burning torches 9extending oppositely in,

the chamber, and a reservoir-10 for vaporizing liquid, inconnectionwiththe torches. .1

' The knife consists of a sharp-edged blade 12 fastened at the end of a metal helve 13 which at its opposite end is p-ivotally con vnected between two bearings 14 fastened to the base intermediate of the chopping block and thestove. I a

The helve carries a sliding grip 15 made of asbestos or other nonconducting material formed around a tubular sleeve, which allows the operator to handle the cutting element without touching the heated metal parts thereof. I

When in the operation of'the device, the knife is in its inoperative position the blade thereof extends between the burners in the heating'chamber to which it was admitted through the vertical slot in, the upper portion of the hood.

The helve of the knife rests in a slanting position upon the lower end of the slot and the grip is placed at a point remote from the stove by .sliding it downwardly along the helve.

When the helper has placed the tail of an animal upon the wooden chopping block, the operator swings the knife upon the same by means of the sliding grip thereby severing the member and at the same time searing the wound at the end of its stump by contact of the heated blade.

The knife is returned to the stove immediately after the cutting. operation is completed, to be reheated until a second helper has placed the-tail of another animal upon the block.

The folded relation of thesections of the base and the position of the knife in the en a e the block in its movement in one direction and to be heated by the stove at the end'of its movement in the opposite direction.

2. A tail-docking device comprising a base, a h'elve pivoted thereon, a cutting blade at the end of the helve, a chopping blockdisposed to beengaged by the blade, and a stove adapted to heat the blade in an adjusted position of its helve.

3. A tail-docking device comprising a base, a helve pivoted thereon, a cutting blade at the end of the helve, a sliding grip on the helve, a chopping block dispose'd'to beengaged by the blade, and a stove adapted to heat the blade in an adjusted position of its helve.

4. A tail-docking device comprising a chopping block, a knife movably mounted to engage the same, a stove composed of a chamber having an opening to admit the knife in an adjusted position thereof, and a burner in the chamber.

5. A tail-docking, device comprising a chopping block, a knife movably mounted to engage the same, a stove composed of achamber havingan opening to admit the knife in an ad usted position thereof, and a blow-torch 1n: the chamber.

6.91 tail-docking device comprising a chopping block, a knife. mo-vably' mounted.

toengage the same, a stove composed of a chamber having. an opening-to admit the.

knife in an adjusted position thereof, a reservoir forgaseous fuel, and a burner 1n the chamber, connected with the reservoir.

.7. A tail-docking devicecomprising a chopping block, a knife movably mounted to engage the same, a stove composed of a chamber having an opening to admit the knife in an adjusted position thereof,and burners in the chamber-at opposite sides of the knife.

S. A tail docking device comprising a support, a chopping block and a stove at sep-' arate points thereof, and a knifemounted on the support to be movable from a determinate position in which it is subjected to the heat of the stove, to a. second determinate position in which. it is removed from the heating influence of thestove and. engages the block.

Intestimony whereof I have affixed, my signature.

FREDERICK o. Mn'rzziin'n. 

